weaver



O. N. WEAVER.

` Whietree.

N 61781. Patented Feb. 5,186?.

www/Wind N-PETERS, PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER: WASHINGTON. D. C

OLVER N. WEAVER, OF DOVER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND G. W. WlN'lER, OF AUGUSTA, KENTUCKY g v Letters Patent No. -61,781, dated February 5, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHERE-TREES.

TO WHOM'IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, OLIVER N. WEAVER, of Dover, Mason county, Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Whitletrees; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

V This invention relates to a construction of whiile-trees adapted to greatly lessen the jars incident to starting the vehicle, andI to violent collision with rocks and other obstacles encountered in travelling. For this purpose I construct my while-tree of a semi-elliptical spring or bow A, attached by/i'ts middle, in rear of the lower cross-bar B of the shafts, by means of clips C C. Two yokes, D D', pivoted` to the ends of th said spring-tree and embracing the bar, terminate in the usual hooked cl', or other customary device for attaching the tugs. l

The beneficial effect of this arrangement is of a quadruple character, namely, to relieve the horse, the driver, the harness, and the vehicle, of all sudden jars and jerks. 1t is welladapted to lessen the danger of baulking in a young horse, by enabling him to get arstart and come to his load gradually.` It is even stronger than the common arrangement of while-trees,'in front of the cross-bar, because it avails the whole strength of the bar. y1t does not take up any room; for the tug-hooks may be even nearer vto the cross-bar than are those of the ordinary whitlle-tree. i

Another decided advantage is, that it keeps each trace constantly taut, notwithstanding the ride or shifting pull on the tugs, incident to the motion of the animal, which, especially with long-reaching horses, causesA a vibratory action of the vehicle by pulling alternately rst on one trace and thenon the other. In a word, the device discharges the 'functions of a balance or fly-wheel, whichvoperates to secure a sustained, continuous, and comparatively uniform motion of the vehicle, notwithstanding the presence ot' obstructions, and the various disturbing causes which are liable to jar and strain the horse. I prefer to construct iny spring in two or more plates or leaves, of which that farthest from the cross-bar extends nearly all or quite the Width between the shafts, and is suiciently long. and sensitive to entirely take up the side or oscillating draught of the horse; while the shorter plate, or plates, serve to receive and modulate any excessive jar or jerk. The improvement may be substituted for the common while-tree in a few minutes, and without any weakening or'disfigurement of the cross-bar by holes or otherwise. The invention may he made available for double harness by forming either the double-tree or the single-trees on this principle.

I claim herein as new, and of my inventionv The spring whiile-tree A, adapted for fastening in rear of the shafts cross-bar, its ends being provided with the yokes D D', and terminating in hooks, or other devices, for the yattachment of the tugs, as set forth.

In testimony of which invention I' hereunto set my hand.

O. N. WEAVER.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, .Luiss H. LAYMAN. 

